Pre-Ivan

Driving to work this morning. The traffic was strangely light for a weekday. Listening to one of the quieter moments from the Return of the Jedi score (and no, I'm not that big of a geek - it was on the XM) and driving through a near-deserted city was really kind of creepy. There was more traffic in the CBD, but it wasn't quite normal.

I drove by a lumber place on the way to work. It's not a home improvement place or a hardware store - just lumber. There were lots of cars and trucks, all getting loaded down with plywood. Some businesses were already boarded up.

I've talked to people - older people - who've lived here all their lives and never left town for a hurricane. They are leaving town for this one. It seems like everyone is. So are we. We're leaving for Memphis tonight. Please don't loot our apartment.